Burn Pit Program to Review Operations and Management of ILER System Efficacy Act or the Burn Pit PROMISE Act
This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to study and report on the implementation and effectiveness of the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record program of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5599 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5599
To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a
biennial study on the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record program
of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 15, 2021
Ms. Sherrill (for herself and Mr. Garbarino) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in
addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a
biennial study on the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record program
of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Burn Pit Program to Review
Operations and Management of ILER System Efficacy Act'' or the ``Burn
Pit PROMISE Act''.
SEC. 2. GAO BIENNIAL STUDY ON INDIVIDUAL LONGITUDINAL EXPOSURE RECORD
PROGRAM.
(a) Studies and Reports Required.--Not later than December 31,
2022, and once every two years thereafter until December 31, 2030, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall--
(1) conduct a study on the implementation and effectiveness
of the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record program of the
Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs;
and
(2) submit to the appropriate congressional committees a
report containing the findings of the most recently conducted
study.
(b) Elements.--The biennial studies under subsection (a) shall
include an assessment of elements as follows:
(1) Initial study.--The initial study conducted under
subsection (a) shall assess, at a minimum, the following:
(A) Statistics relating to use of the Individual
Longitudinal Exposure Record program, including the
total number of individuals the records of whom are
contained therein and the total number of records
accessible under the program.
(B) Costs associated with the program, including
any cost overruns associated with the program.
(C) The capacity to expand the program to include
the medical records of veterans who served prior to the
establishment of the program.
(D) Any illness recently identified as relating to
a toxic exposure (or any guidance relating to such an
illness recently issued) by either the Secretary of
Defense or the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, including
any such illness or guidance that relates to open burn
pit exposure.
(E) How the program has enabled (or failed to
enable) the discovery, notification, and medical care
of individuals affected by an illness described in
subparagraph (D).
(F) Physician and patient feedback on the program,
particularly feedback that relates to ease of use.
(G) Cybersecurity and privacy protections of
patient data stored under the program, including
whether any classified or restricted data has been
stored under the program (such as data relating to
deployment locations or duty stations).
(H) Any technical or logistical impediments to the
implementation or expansion of the program, including
any impediments to the inclusion in the program of
databases or materials originally intended to be
included.
(I) Any issues relating to read-only access to data
under the program by veterans.
(J) Any issues relating to the interoperability of
the program between the Department of Defense and the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
(2) Subsequent studies.--Except as provided in paragraph
(3), each study conducted under subsection (a) following the
initial study specified in paragraph (1) shall assess--
(A) statistics relating to use of the Individual
Longitudinal Exposure Record program, including the
total number of individuals the records of whom are
contained therein and the total number of records
accessible under the program; and
(B) such other elements as the Comptroller General
determines appropriate, which may include any other
element specified in paragraph (1).
(3) Final study.--The final study conducted under
subsection (a) shall assess--
(A) the elements specified in subparagraphs (A),
(B), (D), (E), (F), and (H) of paragraph (1); and
(B) such other elements as the Comptroller General
determines appropriate, which may include any other
element specified in paragraph (1).
(c) Access by Comptroller General.--
(1) Information and materials.--Upon request of the
Comptroller General, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs shall make available to the Comptroller
General any information or other materials necessary for the
conduct of each biennial study under subsection (a).
(2) Interviews.--In addition to such other authorities as
are available, the Comptroller General shall have the right to
interview officials and employees of the Department of Defense
and the Department of Veterans Affairs (including clinicians,
claims adjudicators, and researchers) as necessary for the
conduct of each biennial study under subsection (a).
(3) Information from patients and former patients.--
(A) Development of questionnaire.--In carrying out
each biennial study under subsection (a), the
Comptroller General may develop a questionnaire for
individuals the records of whom are contained in the
Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record, to obtain the
information necessary for the conduct of the study.
(B) Distribution.--The Secretary concerned shall
ensure that any questionnaire developed pursuant to
subparagraph (A) is distributed to individuals the
records of whom are contained in the Individual
Longitudinal Exposure Record.
(d) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) The term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means--
(A) the Committee on Armed Services and the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Armed Services and the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate.
(2) The term ``Secretary concerned'' means--
(A) the Secretary of Defense, with respect to
matters concerning the Department of Defense; and
(B) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, with respect
to matters concerning the Department of Veterans
Affairs.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line